IChat says my camera is in use by another application

I recently bought an IceCam2 and plugged it into my computer, but when I open ichat to use the video, it says that the camera is in use by another application, but I am running no other applications. I have tried to restarting my computer, which has not helped, and I also restarted again reseting the PRAM which also did nothing...please help!

Hi.
I had this same exact issue with my PowerMac G4. I would plug in my new USB 2.0 MacAlly IceCam2 and it would work in all other programs except for iChat. I noticed that in the other programs the camera was very slow (response time) but was functional. After searching everywhere I some how decided to unplug it from one of the two built in USB ports (shown below) and plugged it into an expansion port on a PCI USB 2.0 card I recently installed.
http://developer.apple.com/documentation/Hardware/DeveloperNotes/Macintosh_CPUs-G4/PowerMacG4/3Input-Output/chapter_4_section2.html
USB Ports
The PowerMac G4 computer has two external Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports on the back and two on the keyboard. The USB ports are used for connecting the keyboard and mouse as well as additional I/O devices such as printers, scanners, and low-speed storage devices. The USB ports are off of the USB controller connected to the PCI bus.
Each USB port is connected to a separate USB root hub, allowing both USB ports to support 12 Mbps devices at the same time with no degradation of their performance. The USB root hubs also connect to the internal USB modem and Bluetooth modules and to the USB port on the ADC monitor connector.
The USB ports comply with the Universal Serial Bus Specification 1.1 Final Draft Revision. The USB register set complies with the Open Host Controller Interface (OHCI) specification.
Well you see it right, my problem was that I had the webcam that required a USB 2.0 connection plugged into a USB 1.1 port! I wish I would have known this before hand but I assumed that since the computer was built during the reign of the USB 2.0 era that the USB ports on my computer were in fact USB 2.0 and not the old 1.1 standards!
Well I plugged in the MacAlly USB 2.0 IceCam2 into the USB 2.0 slot on my expansion 2.0 USB card > opened up iChat > works perfect now! If anyone is receiving the very disappointing error message about "camera is in use by another application" message with a USB webcam - verify you are using the correct USB standard (ensure the camera and port matches).
I wish I would have known this a few days ago!
Thanks,
~croat
Message was edited by: croatjj

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Error says"Your camera is in use by another application"...no apps running

I just purchased a brand new iSight. I connected it to my G5 but when I start up iChat and click on the green video camera icon at the top right, I get a new window that just says "your camera is in use by another application". I don't have other applications running. When I click on the preferences button at the bottom of that window I get another new window with some options for microphone and bandwidth limit. The iSight is not even an option for microphone.
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Powermac G5 Mac OS X (10.3.9)

HI Puppymac,
Does this help http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93216
Normally we would suggest running the appropriate Combo installer or try reinstalling Quicktime
Downloads here
11:43 PM Wednesday; May 17, 2006

Ichat says my iSight is in use by another app

Hello, I just got my iSight that I bought on ebay.
I have a problem, iChat is saying my camera is in use by another application, but I'm not using it with any other app. I also tried to use it with quicktime pro, and when I went to file, new recording I got the same message.
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Because your iSight is newly purchased, you may want to contact the eBay seller for help suggestions or to preserve your return or exchange rights. If your iSight's seller does not help you resolve your problem, try the following suggestions one-by-one until you find the one that works for you.
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Click here if you need help creating a new user account to check whether your problem is "user-specific" during Troubleshooting.
(5) If none of the suggestions above correct your problem, try the following:
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Error "Your camera is in use by another application"-no other apps running

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I tryed the iSight on a MacBook Pro and a iBook, it works perfect on both so I don't think there is anything wrong with the iSight.
A few months ago I tryed to run a mac compatible logitech camera on the G5 but couldn't get iChat to recognize that camera either. I wonder if did something that is coming back to haunt me.
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Hi Puppymac,
There are two things to try.
1) Try the Combo update
http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/macosx1046comboforppc.html
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1:47 PM Wednesday; May 17, 2006

I cannot open Photobooth. I keep getting a message that says "Photobooth cannot open because no camera is attached or the camera is in use by another application." As far as I can tell, no other application is using the camera. Help?

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Run the apple hardware test.

Message - Camera is in use by another application

When I try to use I Chat 3.1.9 to video chat I receive a message that camera is in use by another application. I don't see any application that is open that uses the camera. What might be causing this conflict and how can I correct it?
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On Desktops like iMacs this is not an easy proposition and Resetting the PRAM (The above Restart 4 key hold) will sort this for you.
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I've tried multiple discussion lists and suggested workarounds nothing seems to work. I have an external isight camera that worked the last time I used it. I switched cables. Plugged and unplugged camera. deleted plist files but this camera refuses to show up in any of the applications. Sound preferences doesn't recognize that the external isight camera is attached, Imovie says no camera attached even thought the system profiler see the camera in textural detail. I chat shows in use by another application. The are no other open apps.
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Hi,
Can you access it it System Preferences > Accounts > Your account by Changing the Pic and chosing the Snapshot option ?
Also consider Audio apps as the iSight has a Mic in it.
IS the System Profiler identifying it as being at Firmware 1.0.3
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If vcencoder is showing then use the Quit Button in Activity Monitor and Foirce Quit it.
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A failed chat and a "Stuck" status in a .plist may try to inform the camera it is in a chat but this would not explian why other computers Respond the same way.
The iSight Firmware may be the only option.
I have not tried this or heard of anyone who has.
<
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Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
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I've been dealing with this problem for a whole day now... I tried following the troubleshooting steps described in some posts here and nothing. Deleted QT, trashed its preferences, done the same thing AV chat and its preferences. Repaired permissions, replugged the Isight cameraAnd nothing! Please, does anyone else have any other suggestions? I'm checking my Activity monitor and the only files running that look like may be affecting my IChat are "qmastertaskd"... But I don't want to touch it because I need Qmaster.
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Yep standard fix for that problem.
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Camera is in use by another application

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Help!

Hi Dan, Welcome to Apple's Users Help Users Forums.
You can only give yourself a Virtual Green Star. You as OP = Original Poster are the only one who can mark the thread as answered as well as award Green or Gold Starts.
I assume you have rebooted in normal mode, "then reboot." and all is joy there.
There is an abundance of knowledge in these forums. Lurk and Learn = L&L. ;~)

IChat says my camera is in use by another application

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